Movie Music Monday – Stormy Weather

It was 82 years ago today that the musical Stormy Weather premiered in the US.

The movie starred the beautiful Lena Horne, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, and Cab Calloway. Also making appearances were Fats Waller and Dooley Wilson (who was the piano player in Casablanca). The movie is loosely based on Robinson’s life. It would be Robinson’s last film (he passed away in 1949).

Wiki says: “Stormy Weather is a primary showcase of some of the leading African American performers of the day, during an era when African American actors and singers rarely appeared in lead roles in mainstream Hollywood productions.” The entire movie is only about 75 minutes long, yet it is full of music! 20 songs to be exact.

The soundtrack is full of great songs like Ain’t Misbehavin’ from Fats Waller, Cab Calloway and his band offer up a few numbers including Jumpin’ Jive and then there is the title track performed by Lena Horne. While she is remembered for her version of the song, she also performs in several dance numbers with Robinson. It was one of her few non-MGM film appearances, and one of only two films from the 1930s-1940s in which she played a substantial role.

It was first sung by Ethel Waters under the title of “Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin’ All The Time)” at the Cotton Club in Harlem. “When I got out there in the middle of the Cotton Club floor,” Waters recalled. “I was singing the story of my misery and confusion … the story of the wrongs and outrages done to me by people I had loved and trusted … I sang ‘Stormy Weather’ from the depths of my private hell in which I was being crushed and suffocated.”

Lena Horne’s version of the song is probably the best-known recording of this standard and became her signature tune. She originally sang it in 1941 for RCA Victor, but it was re-recorded in 1943 for the soundtrack. Noteworthy cover versions have been recorded by Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday, among many others.

Fun Fact: Lena Horne’s version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000 and Ethel Waters’ recording three years later.

Here is the version from the film:

Here is the 1943 recording:

I have always loved the bluesy Jackie Wilson version:

Most people have never heard the “doo wop” version that the Spaniels (who sang Goodnight Sweetheart) did. I just love everything about this version:

I could play so many other versions of the song, but instead I will encourage you to search up the great covers on YouTube. It is just such an amazing song, it’s hard to have a bad version of it.

Sources: Wiki, Songfacts

A Simple Request

Tomorrow morning, I’ll be taking a 2-3 hour trip to a children’s hospital on the west side of the state. Andrew is having an MRI.

We’re hoping that this will finally give us some answers. The neurologist suggested that we get this done to rule out some of the possible issues. If it is a normal MRI, we’re not any closer to figuring things out.

Can I ask that you keep Andrew in your thoughts or prayers? I pray for safe travels and a few answers.

Thank you. I will be sure to keep you posted.

Book Recommendation – The War Pianist

My wife knows I like historical fiction books. She found this at Sam’s Club and said, “It sounds like a story you might like.

My first thought was “a piano player during wartime?” Then I read the Goodreads Synopsis:

Pianist: NOUN. Informal. A person who operates or controls a radio transmitter – often in code.

July, 1940

Blitz-ridden London: Marnie Fern’s life is torn apart when her grandfather is killed in an air raid. But once she discovers that he’d been working undercover as a radio operative – or Pianist – for the Dutch resistance, Marnie knows she must complete his mission – no matter the cost…

Nazi-occupied Amsterdam: At the other end of the wireless, fellow pianist Corrie Bakker is caught in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse as she desperately tries to keep her loved ones out of the line of fire – even if it means sacrificing herself…

Bound together by the invisible wires of their radios, the two women lead parallel lives in their home cities, as both are betrayed by those they trust the most. But when the Nazis close in on one of them, only the other can save her…

Two cities. Two spies. But which woman survives?

I enjoyed the book, even though there were a couple times where I thought “would they really be up and walking after that happened to them?” All in all, it was a good read that kept my interest.

I give it 3.5 out of five stars.

Friday Photo Flashback

I was looking for something for a coworker yesterday and was going through a bunch of thumb drives. I actually found some photos that I had forgotten about. Look at this gem:

Sam and I took a trip down to Cleveland for our anniversary one year. We visited the Christmas Story House and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The photo above was one of those green screen pictures they take when you first walk in. They used this ridiculous pose and put us on stage with a huge crowd in front of us in one picture. My favorite was this one.

This one made me think of the Dr. Hook song “On the Cover of the Rolling Stone.” Neither one of us thought that our pose was good, but it made us laugh, so we bought the pictures. When I found it I actually chuckled out loud remembering the first time we looked at it.

That was a fantastic trip! It reminds me that we are overdue for a getaway for the two of us!

I Wanna Talk About Me

School

Sometimes I get so focused on other things that I forget about me. Now I’m not saying there’s a lot going on in my life, but it’s been busy.

Many of my readers know that I am taking Bible classes. The course is a 3-year course with three semesters each year. I recently finished up the second semester of the second year and have moved on to the third semester. My hope is to keep the pace and finish up here within the next year.

Some of the classes have tests that go with them. Some of them do not. The course is designed so that you will be ready to preach if that is what you choose to do. I am currently in the last semester of the preparation and delivery of sermons class. There are no more tests involved in that class so I could literally watch the classes back to back and finish up sooner than expected.

It’s been an interesting journey. Early on when I began, it always seemed like there was something going on that took me away from being able to get it all done. At work, I get an hour break and each class is about an hour. I have made it a point to use my lunch hour as my school time and it’s working.

ADHD

I have to give props to those people in the mental health field. Life for me, has been very different since discovering that I have adult ADHD. I know that some people are against taking medications, however, I feel like I’m more myself even though we are still tweaking doses and medications.

A month ago I thought we were very very close, but I had some lingering issues. So my doctor tried a different ADHD medication. After about 2 weeks, I knew that I felt better on the previous medication.

Yesterday I met with her again and we’re going to try something else. You would think that the trial and error process would be frustrating, and it can be sometimes. However, with all of the different tweaks I know that we are getting closer to where I need to be.

Most guys might say it’s a guy thing to start something and forget about finishing it. However, that’s one of my biggest ADHD issues. So we are working towards correcting that.

Hopefully, soon

Uncle Again

Sam’s sister has had a pretty rough pregnancy. When she was at our house for the 4th of July, she looked so miserable.

On Sunday night, they went to the hospital because something wasn’t right. They kept her overnight for observation. Then it was decided that they were going to induce labor.

Over the course of the next day or so, they went from inducing labor to stopping labor and then starting it back up again and stopping it again and so on… She just wasn’t progressing like they had hoped. Finally, yesterday my newest nephew was born.

I worked yesterday, but my wife took my daughter up to see the new baby. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited she was to meet her cousin, and to hold him. When she got back home, they video chatted with me. All she kept telling me was how soft the baby was!

The word is that she’ll be out of the hospital sometime today. I’m hoping to get the chance to meet him very soon.

Plenty of Pasta

On Saturday, Sam’s adopted twin brothers had their open house. Originally, they were going to do a joint open house with a friend of theirs at a hall. I guess that fell through.

They had told Sam’s mom that they really didn’t want to do an open house. I am guessing that after talking to friends who had an open house, they realized that in those cards was cash and they decided they wanted an open house. Lol

Everybody pitched in. One sister-in-law brought a brisket, my brother-in-law brought macaroni and cheese, My mother-in-law and father-in-law made pulled pork and fried chicken, and I was the pasta man.

Despite working late on Friday, I was up early on Saturday boiling pasta noodles. Once they were done, I put them in a container and we made our way over to Sam’s mom’s house to set up for the party.

I had asked my mother-in-law if she wanted me to make the sauce as well. She said I didn’t have to do that, she was just going to get sauce from the store. I guess afterward, their friends were talking about how good the pasta was. My mother-in-law laughed because it was really just noodles and Ragu!

Is the Novelty Worth It?

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that I tend to feature a lot of music. Some folks have said music is life, and I tend to believe that. I can’t imagine life without music.

That being said, I was toying around with an idea that stemmed from a feature my friend Nancy did on her blog. She had Weird Al Wednesdays where she featured a different Weird Al song every week.

Her posts got a lot of reactions from her readers and I wondered how you felt about novelty songs in general. My thought process was maybe featuring a different novelty song once a week. Wacky Wednesday, or Silly Sunday.

I don’t know, I just feel like there’s a whole lot less laughter in the world these days. So many people are stressed out about what’s going on in the world, what’s going on in their lives, and stressing just to get through the day. I thought maybe a feature like this would bring a laugh that may change the attitude of the day. What do you think?

Hey, “Dad,” You Need To Hear This

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again – being a father isn’t easy. For the record, neither is being a mother. Someone sent this to me after a phone conversation recently. I was saying how exhausted I was and how I felt like I wasn’t doing enough to make a difference, among other things. This arrived in an e-mail and I wish I knew who wrote it to give them credit.

I know I really needed to read this, and if you are a dad – you may need it, too:

Dear Dad, You’re Not Failing

Dear Dad,

You’re tired. I know.
You’ve been trying to be everything for everyone — the helper, the provider, the rock, the fixer.

And some days you go to bed thinking you didn’t do enough. That you weren’t present enough. That you raised your voice. That you weren’t patient.

But I need you to hear this:
You’re not failing.

You are learning. You are adjusting. You are loving — deeply, even if you don’t always know how to say it.

I’ve seen you hold your child like you’re afraid to break them.
I’ve seen you make the bottle with half-open eyes at 3 a.m.
I’ve seen you come home from a hard day and still ask, “How can I help?”

You’re not failing. You’re trying.
And that counts for everything.

You are the quiet hero in the background.
The steady beat in the family rhythm.

So please — give yourself the grace you offer to everyone else.

You are more than enough.
You are doing a great job.
And you are loved.

Tune Tuesday

Linda Ronstadt turns 79 today!

I have written about Linda a couple times on this blog. Both times were in connection with Dave Ruch’s music feature, Turntable Talk. The first one can be found here. The second one is here.

I have always loved her voice and was devastated when I heard she could no longer sing. It seems like her music has always ben a part of my life. Until I looked at a list of her songs, I didn’t realize just how many covers she did. Blue Bayou, When Will I Be Loved, It’s So Easy, Just One Look, Tracks of My Tears, Poor Poor Pitiful Me, That’ll Be The Day, Desperado, and so many others were all cover songs!

Her albums with Nelson Riddle are among my favorites. She had hoped to do one more album with him, but he passed away. So she took those songs and made the album, Hummin’ To Myself. One of my favorite cuts from that album is, I’ll Be Seeing You. It’s a beautiful song by a beautiful lady.

Happy Birthday, Linda!

Movie Music Monday – Young Guns II

It was on this day in 1881 that Billy the Kid was shot dead by police.

His story is one of fascination and uncertainty. Eyewitness history says that prior to his death “Billy worked as a ranch hand for John Tunstall. Tunstall befriended the Kid acting in many ways as a surrogate father. Tunstall’s ambush and murder in 1878 by a sheriff’s posse set the Kid off on a path of revenge. His first victims were the sheriff and his deputy, killed from ambush on the streets of Lincoln. On the run for two years, the Kid was eventually captured, tried, convicted and returned to Lincoln to hang for the murders.

On the evening of April 28, 1881 as he was climbing the steps returning him to his cell, the Kid made a mad dash, grabbed a six-shooter and shot his guard. Hearing the shots, a second guard ran from across the street only to be gunned down by the Kid standing on the balcony above him. Mounting a horse, he galloped out of town and into history.”

After his escape he was pursued by sheriff, Pat Garrett. “I knew the desperate character of the man,” Garrett later wrote. “That he was daring and unscrupulous, and that he would sacrifice the lives of a hundred men who stood between him and liberty, when the gallows stared him in the face, with as little compunction as he would kill a coyote.”

That July, Garrett and his deputies followed the outlaw’s trail to Fort Sumner, New Mexico, and to a ranch owned by Peter Maxwell. On that fateful night, Garrett snuck into Maxwell’s home and found the rancher in bed. There, in the dark, the sheriff suddenly heard someone else approaching. He hardly had time to react when a shadowy figure appeared in the doorway and demanded in Spanish to know who else was there.

“That’s him,” Maxwell whispered to Garrett, so the sheriff raised his gun.

Billy the Kid died that night at the age of 21, shot near the heart as he lurched into Maxwell’s bedroom. But despite several people coming forward in the subsequent days to identify his body, it didn’t take long for rumors to circulate that Billy the Kid had actually escaped death — again.

Emilio Estevez starred as Billy the Kid in the 1988 film, Young Guns and the 1990 sequel. A third installment is currently in the works with Estevez returning again as the Kid.

For the sequel, Emilio Estevez asked Jon Bon Jovi for permission to use the song “Wanted: Dead or Alive” in the movie. Bon Jovi didn’t feel the song’s lyrics were appropriate; however, he was inspired by the project and resolved to write a new song for the film that would be more in keeping with the period and setting. He quickly wrote the song “Blaze of Glory”, and performed it on acoustic guitar in the Utah desert for Estevez and screenwriter John Fusco. John loved it and put it in the movie.

Fun Fact: Bon Jovi wrote the song on a napkin in a diner on the set of Young Guns II. Emilio Estevez has it framed on a wall at his home.

Bon Jovi ended up recording a whole album of songs inspired by Young Guns II, which was released a week after the film and also called Blaze of Glory. It was his first solo album, and it sold over 2 million copies. To play on the album, Jon recruited some big names, including Elton John, Little Richard and Jeff Beck, who played slide guitar on this track.

Sources: Songfacts, All That’s Interesting, Eyewitness History.

“You’ve Got Mail!”

You may remember me mentioning my kids painting with colored ice recently. I was surprised this week when a “postcard” arrived for me.

He had a bit of help from mommy, but his message warmed my heart.

He calls me “Big Fella” all the time now. The kids on Bluey called their dad that once and it has stuck with him. I started calling him “Little Fella” now, which makes him laugh.

One morning he had crawled into bed next to me and said, “Time to get up, Daddio!” That had me cracking up! All of a sudden he’s a 50’s hipster!

Now, to be clear – I’m not necessarily sharing my tools. Recently I went out to the garage looking for a pair of pliers and they were gone. They were in HIS tool box. Also in his tool box was a hammer, my crescent wrench, about 6 screwdrivers and my box of drill bits!

So if you wanna call that “sharing” …..

Book Recommendation – Murder on Black Swan Lane

It’s been a while since I posted a book recommendation. I slowed down a bit over the past couple weeks as I was finishing up a semester of my bible classes and taking exams.

In searching for my next read, I had scrolled through my Goodreads “want to read” list. This one had been on their for a while – Murder on Black Swan Lane. It looked “Sherlock Holmes-ish,” so I read it.

I had no idea that this was part of a series of books. I lucked out because it is the first of the Wrexford and Sloane series. It was written in 2017. Andrea Penrose had put out a Wrexford and Sloane novel every year since, with the latest due out this year. That will bring the series up to 9 mysteries.

I was right in my thoughts that it was Holmes-ish. It takes place in England and would be considered “Regency-era historical fiction.” Before I move on here is the Goodreads synopsis:

In Regency London, an unconventional scientist and a fearless female artist form an unlikely alliance to expose unspeakable evil . . .

The Earl of Wrexford possesses a brilliant scientific mind, but boredom and pride lead him to reckless behavior. He does not suffer fools gladly. So when pompous, pious Reverend Josiah Holworthy publicly condemns him for debauchery, Wrexford unsheathes his rapier-sharp wit and strikes back. As their war of words escalates, London’s most popular satirical cartoonist, A.J. Quill, skewers them both. But then the clergyman is found slain in a church—his face burned by chemicals, his throat slashed ear to ear—and Wrexford finds himself the chief suspect.

The thing I liked about this was that it broke away from the “norm.” Instead of there being a murder and a detective swoops in to solve the crime, the main suspect has to solve it to save himself. You see the story from a whole new angle. The suspect is in a race against time to put together the pieces before he is arrested and tried for a crime he didn’t commit.

The book was not one of those “find out who the killer is on the last page” books. Whether you consider that a spoiler or not, I don’t know. I will just say that the way everything falls into place adds to the excitement and leaves you waiting for the next adventure.

3.5 out of 5 stars.